Carton wrapper



March 21, 1944. s. M. NEWMAN CARTON WRAPPER Filed Oct. 7, 1941 Patented Mar. 21, 1944 CARTON WRAPPER Strother M. Newman, Staunton, Va., assignor of one-half to John A. Clemm, III, Staunton,

Application October 7, 1941, Serial No. 413,988

7 Claims.

My invention relates to protective wrappers for cartons and the like, as well as to the association of such wrappers with such cartons, and more particularly concerns cigarette packages employing protective wrappers. My invention is directed primarily to the method and means of adapting the carton for the removal of a corner portion of the protective wrapper when the package is placed in use.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to produce a new protective wrapper for cartons, packages and the like, characterized by its simplicity,

its small number of parts, its low cost, its ready application to the carton and the exactness with which it functions in the opening operation, once the wrapper is positioned on such carton.

Another object is to evolve a simple and inexpensive method'of preparing such a protective sheet for application to a carton or the like, which method is inexpensive and involves the use of simple and inexpensive machinery, and which requires the use of no additional steps or stages, either in the production of the wrapper or in the application of the wrapper to the carton,'over' what has heretofore been necessary in lacketing a carton with the ordinary protective wrapper.

Still another object of my invention is the production of a carton having a protective wrapper thereabout in which the maximum amount of wrapping is retained intact and-in locking and protective engagement about the carton after the latter has been opened for use, thus providing at all times the highest possible degree of protection for the carton and its contents.

Other objects in part will be pointed out here-v inaiter and in part will be obvious from the following disclosure.

Accordingly, my invention consists in the several elements, features of construction and procedural steps, and in the relation of each of the same to one or'more of the others, all as more fully pointed out in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a wrapper having a ripping'cord attached thereto in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sealed carton or package embodying my invention;

Figure 3 shows in fragmentary perspective a construction similar to that disclosed in Figure 2 but illustrating the carton with a small portion of theouter protective wrapper removed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified embodiment of my invention; while Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspectiv view, on an enlarged scale, of a sealed package constructed in accordance with my invention and intended to show that such cartons may be adapted not only for cigarettes but for any other product requiring protection.

As conducive to a more thorough understanding of my invention, it may be pointed out at this time that there are now on the market many packages of fragile or perishable goods about which it is necessary to provide a protective wrapper in order to protect the contents thereof against the conditions to which the package is exposed or subjected. Particularly in warm, moist climates is such protection necessary in order to prolong the otherwise extremely short period of freshness of such stock. Many instances can be cited of such material, a few typical ones including cereals, coffee, cosmetics, cigarettes, miscellaneous foodstuffs and many other broadly similar products. While this invention is primarily directed to cartons or packages of cigarettes, its scope will therefore be seen not to be limited to this field alone, and it has broad utility.

When cigarettes first came upon the market they were primarily a luxury product. No particular competition was encountered in marketing the few brands which were on sale. For the most part, they were elaborately packaged, and were priced at a figure which would represent a profit on producing and marketing them. In large measure they were subjected to careful handling, so that when consumed with reasonable rapidity they were found to remain in good condition, even after the container was opened.

Similarly when coffee, for example, came upon the market in this country it was until very recently sold in comparatively expensive metal containers. It was the customary practice to hold this product on the merchant's shelf for a considerable time, so that a metal container was deemed essential to preserve the freshness of the product insofar as was possible.

However, in the case of these two products, as was true to a certain extent at least of many other products, invasion of the fields by other and new brand owners, seeking to share in the profits available in these fields, introduced such an element of competition that the market prices were forced appreciably downwardly, and it became necessary for the manufacturers to employ all possible means, such as more simple and less expensive cartons or packages, to meet successfully the emphasized competition in the art. Reliance had to be placed upon some less expensive protective means to insure that the goods reached the consumer in good condition, and upon subsequent quick movement of the merchandise in the hands of the consumers.

Considerable development work in all fiields of perishable goods was carried out, looking to that end; and appreciable advance was made in the art. The workers then found, however, that it was not sumcient simply to have the merchandise in good condition at the time that it reached the consumer. It was necessary, investigation showed, that these perishable products be maintained fresh, once opened, until they were finally consumed by the user. a

Particularly was this found to be true in the case oi. the conventional paper carton of cigarettes. By that time, it may be added, the paper carton of twenty cigarettes had become conventional in this extremely active and competitive art. "The paper container represented the minimum of expense in packaging. That cigarettes had reached wide acceptance throughout the country was attested to by the. fact that they were by that time in use in all walks of life. They were no longer a luxury item as we normally consider that term. Laborers used them. Plumbers, farmers, lawyers, all had become extensive consumers of this product.

Practical experience demonstrated that especially in the case of laborers who carried packages of cigarettes in'their pockets while working, perspiration tended to wet through the cigarette package. Indeed, in many instances, particularly in warm weather or under any unusually warm working condition, the sealing compound of the package would more or less disintegrate in the pocket. In some cases it has been found that even the cigarettes themselves would become unsealed, and would be of no further use.

Upon the introduction in the paper art of Cellophane and similar inexpensive transparent or translucent paper-like cellulose derivatives of amorphous structure, it became more and more the practice first to employ the ordinary wrapper, and then to encase the carton and package with a protective outer wrapper of this Cellophane or the like. For brevity, I shall hereafter use the term Cellophane in the specification and claims to designate the protective outer wrapper referred to hereinbeiore. It is to be understood, however, that by this term. I include protective outer wrappings of material other than Cellophaneitself,

\ all as described in the immediate foregoing.

While such protective wrapping possesses the advantages of excellent sealing qualities. s mplification of design and use. and was of sufiiciently low cost to permit its wlde-spreadadoption without material increase in the production costs of the completed package or carton. difficulty was encountered in removing this outer wrapping from the package. This difficul y arose due to the fact that the Cellophane or similar material was amorphous in nature and had no appreciable fibrous structure. Since it had no definite fracture lines, it was extremely difficult to start a tear in the Cellophane. Of course I do not limit my invention to the use of amorphous material. and in fact describe hereinafter and refer in several of the claims to the use of fibrous paper-like material, nevertheless I prefer in most instances to form the wrapper of material such as Cellophane or the like.

Additionally, cartons so protected possess the defect that once the outer wrapper is removed it ordinarily becomes separate and apart from the inner wrapper and fails away therefrom. Accordingly, while the package is delivered to the consumer in a protected form, the protective jacket is likely to be lost as soon as the package is opened, so that the contents are subjected to the atmosphere until finally consumed.

Ingenious workers in the art then hit upon the expedient of providing a ripping cord or ribbon under the outer wrapper, to provide means for ripping the outer package open, thus facilitating ready removal of the outer wrapper. All such packages, however, which are now on the market uniformly employ a ripping cord which extends completely around the package, either transversely or longitudinally thereof. In use, the outer wrapper is severed by this ripping cord into two large portions of roughly the same order of dimensions. At a minimum, according to the teachings of the present-day practice. the entire top of the protective wrapper is removed, and in some instances where the ripping cord passes around the longitudinal extent of the carton, the wrapper is severed into two halves which become entirely removed from the package, no longer providing any protection whatsoever. The Cellophane wrapper has no great tendency to remain on the carton, and in any event, the greater portion of the package and its contents are exposed to atmospheric conditions. In the case of a package of cigarettes, for example, the cigarettes in the package are subjected to the body moisture of the user when he carries the package in his pocket. It will be recalled that frequently the Cellophane wrapper comes entirely apart from the open package in the pocket, so that it no lorger provides any protective action whatsoever.

Another object of my invention, therefore, is to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, and to so relate the ripping cord to the Cellophane or similar outer protective jacket or wrapper on a package or carton that when the ripping cord is used to open the carton, only an extremely small predetermined part of the protective jacket is removed, while by far the greater portion of this wrapper remains in snugly locked and immovable relation about the carton itself.

A further disadvantage of the use of protective wrappers such as have hitherto been employed along with ripping cords is resident in the fact that despite the presence of these ripping cords, it is frequently found that the material of the protective wrapper will not tear in a straight line along the extent of the ripping cord, but will tear in unpredictable lines, away from the path of the ripping cord. Particularly is this true where the ripping cord makes an abrupt change in direction, as from a generally horizontal to a generally vertical reach or vice versa. This is probably attributable to the amorphous character of the Cellophane, and to the consequent absence of fracture lines.

It is a further object of my invention, therefore. to avoid the disadvantages listed just above and to produce a carton or package employing an outer protective wrapper in which the ripping cord will tear the protective wrapper only along accurately predetermined lines.

While many attempts have been made by earlier workers in the art to produce a possible method of opening packages by ripping cords and the like with a view of maintaining some degree of protection for the contents of the package after the latter has been opened, uniformly some important reason has existed which has prevented the practical utilization of the proposed expedients. In one instance, for example, an attempt was made to thread the ripping cord through both the carton itself and the wrapper, and to employ preformed reenforcing strips within the carton. Another expedient required the use of complicated hinged flaps. Still another required a preformed opening in the inner and outer jacket, with a tab closing the inside of the carton.

The high cost of both the material itself and the manufacture of such products rendered these expedients impracticable in these highly competitive packaging arts. As well, some difficulty would be encountered in opening packages employing them. It is interesting to note that, probably because of this complexity, these constructions are not found in practical commercial use.

A still further object of my invention is, there-.

fore, to produce a carton having a protective jacket with ripping cord opening means of the general type referred to hereinbefore, which is characterized by its extreme simplicity in manufacturing and-operational steps, and by its few number of parts and low cost of manufacture.

Referring now to the embodiment in Figure 1, a sheet III of any desired configuration is formed of suitable paper-like material. While this sheet may be of any suitable thin, weak, fibrous paperlike material, I prefer to make it from a material having a pleasing appearance, which is substantially impervious to moisture, and which is extremely tough and resistant to tearing except along predetermined lines. Such material may be an amorphous cellulose derivative, either transparent or translucent, and for example, may comprise thin Cellophane, conditioned in accordance with the following teachings. The contour of the sheet III is determined by the shape of the. carton about which it is to be wrapped. In the instance under discussion it is generally rectangular.

I apply a narrow ripping cord II to that side of the wrapper III which will be undermost when it is applied around the carton. Of generally U- shape, this ripping cord I I is applied adjacent one edge of the wrapper in such location that when the wrapper is.disposed about the carton, this ripping cord will define an area I of the wrapper located about one end of the carton, embracing one or more corners, as the case may be. To contribute to directional change in 'the line of tearing of the Cellophane, I prefer to have the leg portions I2, I2 of the U-shaped ripping cord join the yoke portion I3 thereof at substantially rightangles the cord being folded or bent into this configuration. The free end of one leg I2 (usually that leg which overlies the top of the carton when the wrapper is applied thereon) terminates in a tab portion ll extending outwardly from the margin of the wrapper, for ready gripping by the user when he desires to remove the block I5 of Cellophane encompassed by the ripping cord II.

As I have suggested in the foregoing, since this sheet I0 of Cellophane or the like is amorphous and tough, it is ordinarily difficult to start the tearing, or to control the course of the tear line once it is started. Particularly at the right-angle junctions between the legs I2, I2 and yoke I3 the tear is quite likely to go off at random unless some provision is made for its control when it reaches these junctions points, which when the wrapper is applied about a carton, determine changes from generally horizontal to generally vertical reaches, and vice versa.

I have found, however, that all such difiiculty, either in starting the tear or in turning corners, is effectively eliminated by providing at the points where directional impulses or changes are im parted to the ripping cord, small slits, notches or scorings closely adjacent to oneor preferably both sides of the ripping cord I I at the margin of sheet I0, as at I6, I6, and where the legs I2, I2 join the yoke portion I3 of the U, as at I1, I1.

This ripping cord II is secured to the sheet 10 in any desired manner, as by means of an adhesive, and it is an object of my invention to simplify the application of this ripping cord I I to the sheet III and to prepare the sheet for application about a carton or package in the simplest possible manner, and with a minimum of time and investment in manufacturing equipment. To this end I contemplate the use of a suitably designed press which will apply the ripping cord.

. together withthis adhesive, in proper position on sheet III at a single pass of the machine, and which at the time of contact of the ripping cord against the Cellophane sheet, will produce the scoring or slits I6, I6 and II, II referred to.

It is important to observe that the length of the span of the yoke portion I3 of the ripping cord II) relative to the depth of the carton, i. e., the width of its side, determines the extent to which the ripping cord passes around the end of the carton or package when the Cellophane sheet is applied as a wrapper about the carton. A long span relative to this depth will yield the results shown in Figures 2 and 5, while a short span will give rise to the constructional embodiment shown in Figure 4. The scorings or slits IB, I6 and Il. II need not be very long at all, it being sufficient simply that they guide the ripping cord at the beginning of any directional change.

For illustrative purposes the sheet I0 is shown in Figure 2 as being applied as an outer protective wrapper for a cigarette package or carton. The flap I8 is folded in such manner that the tab Il overlies the opposite end I2 of the ripping cord II. The usual overlap I9 of wrapper I0 appears at the end of the top surface of the carton opposite the ripping cord II. The usual revenue stamp 20 is illustrated simply to aid in fixing the approximate arrangement of the parts of my new construction.

It will be noted that the wrapper III is disposed about the carton in such manner that the ripping cord assembly II is disposed on the under side of the wrapper, adjacent one end of the upper surface of the carton, with the tab I4 projecting or protruding outwardly from under the folded flap I8 of the wrapper III.

In use, all that need be done to remove the blocked portion I5 of the protective cover which is enclosed by the ripping cord II is to pull the tab end It upwardly and back across the top of the carton. The scoring or slits I 6, I6 will ensure that the ripping cord will tear properly across the Cellophane. With a more or less circular motion on the part of the operator, the ripping operation is completed. The angle slits or scoring I1, I'I ensure that in any directional change of the ripping cord from a generally vertical to a generally horizontal direction or vice versa, this change is accompanied by a similar directional change in the tear through the Cellophane wrapper III. In other words, the slits or I6 and II, II effectively outline and notches I8.

. mains in its original locked, snug and protective relation about the inner wrapper shown at 23. It then becomes necessary only for the smoker to remove the small exposed portion of the inner wrapper, removing only so much thereof as is necessary for him to reach the contents of the package. It will be recalled that in the instance of the packages now on the market, the inner wrapper must be removed separately from the outer, protective wrapper. As stated, by far the greater portion of the protective wrapper I0 is undisturbed and remains securely sealed across tect an inner wrapper, or to serve as the sole sealing protective closure for the carton itself.

A further field of utility for the wrapper of Figure 5 is in packaging inexpensive goods such as rice, macaroni, etc., in which instances no inner carton'or wrapper need be used, and in the wrapper l 0 itself may serve as the sole packaging means.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that at low investment of both time and equipment, I can produce, according to my invention, a simple and efiective wrapper which when employed about a carton, affords excellent protection thereto. Such closure possesses the important advantages of simplicity in that no added parts are required over what hitherto has been used, and that only a sufllcient amount of the wrapper is removed when the package is conditioned for use,

to permit the removal of desired units of the contents of the carton. Even when the carton is opened for use, by far the major part of the the top of the carton, and protects the contents ing over only a portion of the top surface 24 and sidesurface 25 of the carton as shown, for example, in Figure 4. But one polyhedral corner angle 22 is included in this construction. The disposition of the ripping cord on the wrapper ID as placed about the carton, is controlled by predetermlning the length of the yoke portion l3 of the ripping cord H, and by shortening this relative to the depth of the carton. As disclosed in Figure 4, only about one-half of the blocked portion l5 as described with respect to the embodiment according to Figure 2 is included in the :block 15a which is removed in the embodiment according to Figure 4. Upon tearing the ripping cord from the wrapper lll'with the generally circular motion previously described with respect to the embodiment according to Figure 2, only about a half of the corner of the inner wrapper is exposed. The degree of protection afforded by the remaining part of the outer wrapper is correspondingly increased. Guide notches IS, IS

and I1, I! are employed to control the direction. I

of tearing, just as in the case of the first-mentioned embodiment.

The construction according to Figure 5 is intended to illustrate the fact, already mentioned,.

that my invention is of general utility, and may be applied to all forms and sizes of cartons, in addition to cigarette packages, where the contents require protection from the atmospheric conditions. The guide notches l6, l6 and I1, ll'l are identical with those shown in the embodiment first described, while the ripping cord H and its construction corresponds with the similar elements disclosed in the other embodiments. A package opening or folded spout 26 may be provided in the carton, if desired, which may have any convenient size or shape, depending upon the particular use for which the carton is intended. This opening or spout is exposed upon removal of the outer wrapping I 0. In this embodiment the wrapper 40 may be employed either to proprotective wrapping remains locked about the carton in protective engagement, ensuring that the contents of the carton are effectively protected against the atmospheric conditions until entirely consumed.

It is apparent that once the :broad aspects of my invention are disclosed, many adaptations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, all falling within the compass of my invention. Accordingly, I intend that the scope of my invention be limited only by the attached claims.

'I'claim:

1. A wrapper for cartons or the like, comprising a thin sheet of soft, weak, fibrous material, and a ripping cord secured thereon adjacent its edge and laid out in generally U-shape with the yoke disposed innermost, weakened portions being provided in the sheet close to and on both sides of saidripping cord adjacent bends in the latter, said ripping cord being provided with a tab portion formin a prolongation of one leg thereof, and extending beyond the margin of said sheet.

2. The method of preparing a carton closure wrapping sheet, comprising preliminarily applying adhesive to a narrow ripping cord, and then pressing the ripping cord in generally U-shape configuration on a wrapping sheet at one edge thereof, with the yoke of the U disposed innermost, so that the cord will adhere to the sheet, and simultaneously with the pressing operation, producing scoring lines of weakness closely adjacent to the ripping cord at points where changes occur in the direction in which the ripping cord extends when the wrapping sheet is positioned about a carton.

3. A wrapper for a carton and the like, com prising a thin sheet of amorphous paper-like material having no perceptible fracture lines. a ripping cord secured on said sheet at one edge thereof in generally U-shaped manner with the yoke disposed farthest from the edge, a tab portion forming a prolongation of one leg of the ripping cord and extending beyond the margin of the sheet, and weakened portions in said sheet, closely adjoining said ripping cord wher the legs of the U join the yoke thereof.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a generally rectangular carton, a sealing wrapper snugly about said carton, a ripping cord disposed under the wrapper adjacent one corner of the carton and having a tab projecting from the wrapperat one end of the cord, said cord extending over at least three contiguous surfaces of said carton adjoining said corner, and defining at least one polyhedral corner angle, scoring provided on said sealing wrapper closely adjacent to said ripping cord at bends in the ripping cord, to provid weakened portions, tearing of the ripping cord from the carton causing severance of that portion of the sealing wrapper enclosed by the ripping cord along said scoring, while leaving the major portion of the wrapper snugly about the carton.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a, generally rectangular carton, a sealing wrapper about said carton, a ripping cord disposed under the wrapper adjacent one corner of the carton and having at one end thereof a tab portion extending outwardly from the edge of the wrapper, said ripping cord extending transversally over at least part of the top of said carton, longitudinally down the side of said carton for a slight distance, transversally across said side to the adjacent corner and transversally across at least a. portion of the end of said carton, then longitudinally to the upper edge thereof and back to the place of beginning, defining an enclosed area and embracing at least one polyhedral corner angle, scoring being provided in said wrapper to provide weakened portions closely adjacent to and on each side of said ripping cord, adjacent said tab portion and at points where the direction changes abruptly from longitudinally of said carton to laterally thereof and vice versa, tearing of the ripping cord from the carton causing severance of the enclosed area of the wrapper while leaving the major portion of the wrapper in its original position about the carton.

6. As a new article of manufacture. a generally rectangular carton, a sealing wrapper thereon, and a ripping cord disposed under the wrapper adjacent one corner of the carton and terminating at one of its ends in a tab portion which projects beyond the margin of said wrapper, and ripping cord extending over a part only of the top, side, and end surfaces of the carton adjacent said corner, and scoring provided in said wrapper closely adjacent said ripping cord adjacent bends in the ripping cord.

7. As a new article of manufacture a generally\ rectangular package consisting entirely of a single thickness of amorphous, transparent, paperlike material, with its adjacent free extremities secured together at a selected end of the package, a ripping cord fast to the underside of the paper-like material adjacent one corner of the package, and terminating at one of its ends in a tab portion projecting beyond the adjacent region of said material, the said ripping cord extending under all surfaces of the said package embracing said corner, and blocking in a, small corner area including a polyhedral corner angle, and weakened portions provided in said material closely adjacent the bends in the ripping cord, tearing of the ripping cord from the material causing severance of the blocked portion of the package from the remainder thereof along the weakened portions, thus opening only an accurately predetermined portion of said package for removal of its contents, while leaving by far the greaterportion of the single thickness of the package intact and undisturbed.

STROTEER M. NEWMAN. 

